By Subrata Gayen India is a watershed of historical, philosophical and scientific ideologies. The concept of harmonious coexistence with animals and other natural resources is quite old in the country. However, it is only in recent times that we started questioning the age-old values and practices of our forefathers. At this era of urbanization, with development being imperative; coexistence may not any longer remain as a natural way of life. It becomes a crucial challenge for mankind. Let us focus on terrestrial carnivores now. Although the damage caused by snakes might be higher than carnivores in our country, but our psychology of fear for large carnivores makes us more sensitive to carnivore related conflicts than reptiles. Can we stop conflict? Or, should we simply manage it? And if yes, how and at what level? Should our livelihood securities and pace of development be compromised while giving priority to conservation agendas? Or, should we eradicate the problem animals totally? What, why, when, where and how?

Phew! Its that time of the year again. It is the season when sea turtles come in very large numbers on the beaches of Odisha to nest. The nesting sites receive so many turtles at the same time that it turns into a turtle ‘party’ zone.. However, for people counting them, it is a backbreaking exercise. Before I delve further into my ramblings, I shall in my capacity explain to you this amazing phenomenon called ‘Arribada.’

Large carnivores have always been a source of fascination for people and our relationships with them vary from awe and inspiration to fear and loathing. More than any other animals, carnivores have forced us to move from ecosystem theory to ecosystem management and conservation with a focal shift from species to systems and from science vs. management to science and management. Large carnivores often provide the ultimate test of society’s willingness to conserve wildlife and thus have traditionally served as a charismatic conservation flagship worldwide. Nevertheless, recent assessments of the conservation status of carnivores present an alarming picture of ongoing declines and range contractions. Although carnivore conservation across the globe -- and particularly in an agrarian country like India -- is fraught with human dominations of potential habitats, poaching and fragmentation, the Gir lions in the westernmost state of Gujarat, India, have an altogether different story to narrate.

The King Cobra Telemetry Project initiated at the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station in Karnataka and carried out between 2008-2011, was the first radio telemetry study of snakes in India. The study took field biologists deep into the rainforests of the Western Ghats. They tracked these large serpents through pouring rain, across deep swamps and up steep mountains. Surprisingly, the snakes also led the researchers through villages and people’s backyards. This unraveled a unique co-existence, where these snakes, which eat and control populations of other venomous snakes, live in close proximity to the people who revere them as holy without much conflict. Three years of following king cobras has thrown up a wealth of new information on their movement and ranging patterns, behavior, diet and social interactions in the wild. All these data are crucial for a better understanding of king cobra ecology and invaluable for designing a conservation plan for the species. I was lucky to be a part of the king cobra telemetry project, which gave me a rare insight into the day-to-day lives of these magnificent snakes and also helped uncover the harmful effects of a commonly used snake control practice.

A night when the leopard proved or disproved that he was a leopard. “How far is it?” I interrogated. On hearing this, Rajesh took out his torch and flashed it on a leopard who was not more than 20 feet away from us. He was lying down there peacefully with sixteen eyes and two camera lenses starring at him, he was least bothered about our presence. So here is my question. Is this what a leopard does on seeing humans? What I have read and learnt about leopards, and from a few observations I have had in the wild is a little different. Leopards are very shy and secretive animals who usually run away at the slightest of sound made by humans.

In suburban neighborhoods across the globe, it is no longer surprising to see deer grazing outside downtown offices in the mid-day sun, brazenly snacking along sidewalks or grazing on gardens as pedestrians pass within petting distance. These animals, once cherished for their shy and flighty nature, now boldly roam among humans and their property, spreading disease and environmental devastation in their wake. Managers have had little success in their attempts to control overabundant ungulates with common methods such as culling and contraceptives, which are also costly and controversial. However, a recent review published in the Journal of Applied Ecology presents a new wildlife management tool that may offer a less bloody and more effective alternative: fear.